Who has ever been stopped by the Weight Police?

[TaftCoach]

Border Patrol checkpoint here in Texas. I'm guessing it was a way to quickly check if further inspection was needed.

[Ringneks]

Haven’t been pulled over yet(knock on wood), last year however I was going through a small town here in utah and a hwy trooper passed me going the other direction and next thing I knew he was next me right behind my back trailer, stayed there and then moved up to my rv rear bumper stayed there a couple of seconds then moved to the rear of my truck for a minute then moved on. Guess he didn’t find anything he could pull me over for luckily.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Ringneks

Haven’t been pulled over yet(knock on wood), last year however I was going through a small town here in utah and a hwy trooper passed me going the other direction and next thing I knew he was next me right behind my back trailer, stayed there and then moved up to my rv rear bumper stayed there a couple of seconds then moved to the rear of my truck for a minute then moved on. Guess he didn’t find anything he could pull me over for luckily.

Might have been looking for a stolen rig and checked tag registration.

[CAG]

Originally Posted by Ringneks

Haven’t been pulled over yet(knock on wood), last year however I was going through a small town here in utah and a hwy trooper passed me going the other direction and next thing I knew he was next me right behind my back trailer, stayed there and then moved up to my rv rear bumper stayed there a couple of seconds then moved to the rear of my truck for a minute then moved on. Guess he didn’t find anything he could pull me over for luckily.

Drug enforcement. Not all troopers sitting in medians are looking for speeders either. I have been “checked out” several times. Arizona license plates can bring that on. Commonly called drug interdiction.

[harryjr]

I imagine that is why some of the large bus conversion RV's have stickers on the doors saying, "Private vehicle. Not for hire". Kind of a "Hey officer. Not a commercial vehicle"

Yesterday on I-95 in CT I saw two matching black F-350 dualies, both hauling very long, tri-axle enclosed trailers. No marking or DOT numbers on anything. Sure. Convince me they were private use.

[Racinforthefinish]

Along the same lines here I was moving a friend to Florida and towing a large horse trailer with their furniture inside. At the Florida line was a sign that said all livestock haulers pull in. I knew better but I couldn't help myself, I drove on. A trooper immediately came out and pulled me over and he was irate! Said, didn't you see that sign, I said yes Sir but I am not hauling livestock this is a furniture trailer that just looks like a horse trailer. I opened the door and showed him it was all furniture but he was still very mad. He read me off all the tickets he could give me for not stopping. I reminded him again of what the sign said and what I was hauling, he let me go and warned me to stop every time I came through there. Sometime after that they changed the signs, I don't remember exactly what they say now but it includes trailers and not just livestock haulers.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by SloPoke

Similar situation... a couple of years ago in our Seneca with our trailer in tow. It might have been the same scalehouse, but I am not certain.

We were right at our max GCWR of 33k (we weighed at the beginning of our trip on a CAT scale) and passed over the "in-lane-scale" not thinking about ever going into a weigh station. As you describe, suddenly right before the entrance of the scale a sign flashed to enter the scale offramp. I was not sure what it was at the time, it took a few seconds to process the message. At first I thought it was a late message intended for the truck in front of us (who bypassed the scale ) and we did not go into the scale either... we just kept driving.

We never heard anything of it afterwards... but I did watch my mirrors for the next few miles down the road

Same thing happened to me. I went under a road sign that said something that looked like it might be directed at me. I'm not a commercial vehicle, so I motored on. I knew that if I was really supposed to stop, and they really wanted me, they'd have a trooper come out after me. Nothing ever happened, and I only ever saw that one sign that one time.

I can't remember if that was when I was pulling my TT or if it was the Motor home. It wouldn't surprise me if they thought I was a commercial hauler though. My truck was a Ram 2500 Tradesman with absolutely NO frills on the outside. It looked like a commercial vehicle. I even had a contractor client get a little nervous when he saw it parked outside my office one day; he thought "who is this 'new' contractor?" I thought about getting door clings that said "not for hire" just so it would be clear to LEO that I wasn't a commercial rig.

All other weigh station notifications I deem to be directed at commercial vehicles.

[bansai]

Originally Posted by harryjr

I imagine that is why some of the large bus conversion RV's have stickers on the doors saying, "Private vehicle. Not for hire". Kind of a "Hey officer. Not a commercial vehicle"

Yesterday on I-95 in CT I saw two matching black F-350 dualies, both hauling very long, tri-axle enclosed trailers. No marking or DOT numbers on anything. Sure. Convince me they were private use.

The thread is about RV's though... Jayco's and the like...

Exempt from your scenario. If the state patrol has reasonable cause to suspect a 2 team 'convoy' could be engaged in interstate commerce AND their tow vehicle/trailer combo is 26001+ pounds GCWR, and it's *not a camper/RV/etc/ they are definitely at risk of being pulled over. There are plenty of VALID cases where the state patrol might pull over someone for weight related issues - Driving/towing a Jayco isn't one of them.

[Vista]

Originally Posted by bansai

There are plenty of VALID cases where the state patrol might pull over someone for weight related issues - Driving/towing a Jayco isn't one of them.

But driving a black enclosed trailer is?

I like law enforcement to protect my freedom, not impinge upon it.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by harryjr

Yesterday on I-95 in CT I saw two matching black F-350 dualies, both hauling very long, tri-axle enclosed trailers. No marking or DOT numbers on anything. Sure. Convince me they were private use.

Secret Service...

[curver900]

I've been pulled over for exceeding a number that was posted in relation to my velocity... that is about the extent of my troubles... and I was able to discuss this laps in judgement with the judge who found it to only be a slight infraction causing me to part with $50 and time wasted...

[bansai]

Originally Posted by Vista

But driving a black enclosed trailer is?

I like law enforcement to protect my freedom, not impinge upon it.

Just stating what the law is, not formulating opinions on it. The only reason they are pulling you over is if they think you need a CDL for what you are doing, and you are taking something down the road that can be easily used in a commercial capacity. Clearly, they need reasonable cause for something illegal. Oh... unless you are in a border 'zone' where they can pretty much pull anyone over, at anytime, for anything. No, I don't agree with all of that lol. That also isn't the topic here though

[OurJayco]

Is there such a thing as "weight police"?
I have been towing my TT for 16 years and I have never been stopped by police.

What exactly would they stop you for? Not having a proper tow vehicle or not having properly equipped tow vehicle?

Not having a Weight Distrubition System / Too much weight / ?

Help me understand this.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by OurJayco

Is there such a thing as "weight police"?

Not really, but the subject/question comes up about once a year. Then the discussion escalates and has, on occasion, gone off the rails.

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by curver900

I've been pulled over for exceeding a number that was posted in relation to my velocity... that is about the extent of my troubles... and I was able to discuss this laps in judgement with the judge who found it to only be a slight infraction causing me to part with $50 and time wasted...

Good one - At least you weren't were you?

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by OurJayco

Is there such a thing as "weight police"?
I have been towing my TT for 16 years and I have never been stopped by police.

What exactly would they stop you for? Not having a proper tow vehicle or not having properly equipped tow vehicle?

Not having a Weight Distrubition System / Too much weight / ?

Help me understand this.

In Texas there kind of is a "weight police"...

The DPS Troopers could be considered "Weight Police". They drive Police Tahoes, and many of them carry portable weigh stations. I've seen several trucks getting weighed on the side of the road. I've even had a client get stopped and weighed (agricultural scenario, he was hauling grain, and yes, he was overloaded). The weigh stations found throughout our state are also manned by uniformed DPS officers.

If you are found to be overweight, you get a ticket, and your load cannot move another foot until the situation is "corrected".

But they don't bother private citizens; commercial vehicles only. Even citizens who SHOULD be bothered by them (IMO) generally get a "by" unless they are doing something overtly unsafe.

[Bookemdanno]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

In Texas there kind of is a "weight police"...

The DPS Troopers could be considered "Weight Police". They drive Police Tahoes, and many of them carry portable weigh stations. I've seen several trucks getting weighed on the side of the road. I've even had a client get stopped and weighed (agricultural scenario, he was hauling grain, and yes, he was overloaded). The weigh stations found throughout our state are also manned by uniformed DPS officers.

If you are found to be overweight, you get a ticket, and your load cannot move another foot until the situation is "corrected".

But they don't bother private citizens; commercial vehicles only. Even citizens who SHOULD be bothered by them (IMO) generally get a "by" unless they are doing something overtly unsafe.

They're called "Weights & Measures" DPS Troopers. There main priority is Commercial enforcement, but if they get bored, they will zero in on a speeder! Ask me how I know...

[CAG]

Originally Posted by Bookemdanno

They're called "Weights & Measures" DPS Troopers. There main priority is Commercial enforcement, but if they get bored, they will zero in on a speeder! Ask me how I know...

Yep, same in Arizona and most other states. While not "weight police", they are there to enforce commercial vehicle laws and do carry portable scales or will direct the suspected violator to the nearest scale for weighing. Troopers call them in if they stop a vehicle suspected to be in violation. We have more issues here due to trucks coming from Mexico. Texas is probably the same.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Bookemdanno

They're called "Weights & Measures" DPS Troopers. There main priority is Commercial enforcement, .

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

In Texas there kind of is a "weight police"...
But they don't bother private citizens; commercial vehicles only. Even citizens who SHOULD be bothered by them (IMO) generally get a "by" unless they are doing something overtly unsafe.

In Ohio they are "Motor Carrier Enforcement", in Florida "Motor Carrier Compliance".

And this all takes us back to the same theme...COMMERCIAL VEHICLES...not pick-ups or cars towing TT's or FW's. Which is why I said "Not really".

[campersam9]

Never I have been pulling since 1973. We have been all over the USA. I have people that needed to be weighed.